Aquaculture, Introductions and Transfers

251 Pages·2010·6.71 MB·English

by  Peter Hutchinson

IP(10)23

Aquaculture, Introductions and Transfers and Transgenics
Focus Area Report

EU-Ireland

Irish Focus Area Reports (FARs) on Aquaculture, Introductions and
Transfers, and Transgenics (based on CNL(09)15 and incorporating the
elements from the Guidance on Best Management Practices, SLG(09)5)

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1. An overview of Aquaculture, Introductions and Transfers and
Transgenics in Ireland

There are two main activities where aquaculture practices, including introductions or
transfers of salmonids may occur in Ireland i.e.

• introductions/transfers of salmonids from hatcheries, rearing or holding facilities to
marine or freshwater aquaculture facilities for on growing in captivity and subsequent
sale for food.

Introductions of salmonids from outside the jurisdiction of Ireland have been permitted in
recent years for aquaculture purposes i.e. Ireland has imported from the UK, Norway, the
USA and Iceland under strict controls. In the recent past, Ireland has also had imports from
Canada.

• introductions/transfers of hatchery salmonids from hatcheries, rearing or holding
facilities into the wild and for ranching purposes.

Enhancement of salmon stocks has been carried out in Ireland for well over a century. The
largest programmes are associated with large rivers which were harnessed for hydro power in
the 1930’s and 1940’s and some rivers where the effects of large scale drainage schemes
resulted in mitigation restocking.

Transgenic salmonids are not used and have never used for aquaculture or restocking in
Ireland and there are no plans to do so as this would contravene current scientific advice and
policy.

1.1.1 Aquaculture in Ireland
Since its initial trial development in the early 1970s, the Irish industry has grown to become a
significant contributor to local economies. The Irish aquaculture industry provides fulltime
and part time employment for some 2,000 people and had a value in 2007 of €131m.
Production of farmed salmon in 2007 was estimated at 13,800 tonnes.
There are three distinct regions in Ireland where marine salmonid farming is carried out; all
are on the west coast, one in Donegal, one in Galway/Mayo and one in Cork/Kerry. The
licensed sites are illustrated on the maps below:

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Figure 1 Donegal area finfish aquaculture activity

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Figure 2 Galway/Mayo area finfish aquaculture activity

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Figure 3 Cork/Kerry area finfish aquaculture activity

1.2.2 Introductions and transfers relating to Restocking/Ranching in Ireland
Ongoing restocking, enhancement, ranching or other practices require the transfer of
salmonids between hatchery freshwater rearing locations (this includes all life stages from
eggs to adult transfers) and the introduction of these life stages into rivers where they enter
the wild. These activities require permission from the State and details of these practices are
maintained annually by the Marine Institute (ESOPS – Enhancement Stocks, Origin, Progress
and Status). A summary of the national activities from this programme are included for
information in Table 1 Full details on restocking of each individual river etc are also
available. Approximately 12 hatcheries operate in Ireland. Each of these is predominantly for
the enhancement of a single river. On average 2,000 broodstock (usually line-bred hatchery
stock) are used in the production of juveniles. There has been a tendency to plant less eyed
ova and unfed fry with more fry, parr and smolts being produced in recent years.
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Table 1 Stocking of various life-stages of Atlantic salmon in Ireland since 1995. (Source
Marine Institute Enhancement Stocks – origin, progress and status, ESOPS – full details on
individual rivers are on the Marine Institute ESOP database).

Released (Jan - Dec)
Jan - Dec Production Stripping Production Eyed Ova
Year Hatcheries Male Female Million's Av./F.male Eyed Ova Unfed Fry Fry Parr Smolts 1Smolts 2 Total
1995 13 2,046 2,205 6.750515 3,061 113,360 464,413 3,031,750 488,513 295,196 0 4,393,232
1996 17 2,016 2,082 7.321852 3,517 185,877 3,209,351 217,300 307,192 520,199 0 4,439,919
1997 17 1,869 2,109 8.189486 3,883 226,420 3,735,658 544,398 443,318 500,389 140 5,450,323
1998 17 2,339 2,763 10.842924 3,924 1,167,237 4,158,878 502,329 348,898 460,311 0 6,637,653
1999 13 2,354 2,454 9.456507 3,854 0 4,227,732 114,909 256,675 610,071 650 5,210,037
2000 12 1,712 2,020 9.206557 4,557 227,458 3,814,682 0 116,927 493,726 0 4,652,793
2001 12 2354 2622 8.151113 3108 144,240 3,466,630 82,240 349,304 526,297 3400 4,572,111
2002 13 1,633 1,951 7.767942 3,981 75,020 2,929,323 57,000 600,158 598,246 0 4,259,747
2003 15 2,088 2,208 8.009743 3,627 257,969 3,495,993 138,106 314,924 770,618 0 4,977,610
2004 14 1,634 1,753 6.732957 3,841 94,640 2,575,193 67,900 286,753 606,426 0 3,630,912
2005 14 2,306 2,463 8.450144 3,431 131,164 4,585,800 98,500 422,785 661,439 5,995 5,905,683
2006 12 1,816 1,907 6.64129 3,483 137,030 3,181,205 72,000 426,388 790,711 4,607,334
2007 10 1,370 1,448 4.930522 3,405 6,500 1,946,216 30,800 614,070 640,397 0 3,237,983
2008 12 1,525 1,575 4.596473 2,918 65,000
Average 1,933 2,111 7.6462875 3,614 202,280 3,214,698 381,326 382,762 574,925 849 4,767,334

The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation has defined Salmon Ranching
as: “the release of reared juvenile Atlantic salmon with the intention of harvesting all of
them on their return” (CNL (06)48).

NASCO (CNL (91)27) describes the process as:
“ a system of aquaculture involving the release of reared juvenile salmon to marine waters, in
which they migrate freely, with the intention of harvesting them when they reach marketable
size. Although ranching and enhancement have often been used synonymously the principal
objective of ranching is the harvest of released stock for food. The principal objective of
enhancement is augmentation of the wild stock”.

Following these definitions there are few true “ranching” operations in Ireland. An example
of this is in the Burrishoole River, Newport, Co. Mayo which as been carried out under
experimental conditions by the Marine Institute (or its predecessors) since the mid 1970’s i.e.
smolts have been released and the returns have been captured entirely by rod and line or by
an in-river trap (for broodstock purposes mainly). A similar operation has taken place on the
River Screebe since the 1990s where returning adult salmon which hade been released as
smolts from a rearing facility have been intercepted by rods or by an in-stream trap. The term
“ranching” is confusing in this regard as the principal objective in both instances is to
augment a rod fishery and not strictly the harvest of these returnees for food and both would
be better described as “rod fishery enhancement (or augmentation)” or “experimental release
and return programmes”.

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1.2 Policy and management structure
Possession of any salmonids or their progeny, live or dead, requires State permission or a
licence (e.g. a fishing licence, salmon dealers licence, aquaculture licence or an authorisation
granted under Section 14 of the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959. All movements of
salmonids are closely regulated. All aquaculture facilities must be in possession of an
aquaculture licence and where appropriate a fish health authorization. Certain facilities may
also be subject to further regulation by virtue of planning regulations and water usage (by
County Councils/ River Basin Management).

1.2.1 Aquaculture
The licensing and regulation of aquaculture, both finfish and shellfish, in Ireland is the
statutory responsibility of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF).

The core Act covering Aquaculture licensing is the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997.

In considering an application for an aquaculture licence, including an application to renew an
aquaculture licence, the licensing authority must consider:

• the potential impacts on safety and navigation,
• the ecological impacts on wild fisheries, natural habitats, flora and fauna,
• the suitability of the waters,
• the other beneficial uses of the place or waters,
• the likely effects on the economy of the area, and
• the statutory status under European legal frameworks of the area under application.

This process involves consultation with a range of scientific and technical advisers as well as
various statutory consultees. Applications are also subject to public consultation whereby
any interested person or body may make submissions or observations on any licence
application. The process also involves publication of Ministerial decisions on applications
and allowing a one month period for appeal of any decision. Any such appeal must then be
considered by the independent Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board.

Aquaculturists, who have applied for a renewal of their aquaculture licences, are legally
entitled to continue operations, following the expiration of their licences, by virtue of the
provisions of Section 19A(4) of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1997, and the aquaculture
activities may continue, subject to the terms and conditions of the original licence/s, pending
determination by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of the renewal applications.

1.2.2 Introductions and Transfers as they relate to Restocking/Ranching
Ireland has contributed to the formulation of and is in agreement with NASCO’s policy in
Restocking (Appendix 1, Williamsburg Agreement). Ireland’s commitment to this policy is
outlined in Appendix 1 (attached). A recent history of restocking practices in Ireland is
attached in Appendix 2.

In addition to the adoption of the NASCO Guidelines on restocking, recommendations
from the Marine Institute are as follows:

Precautionary Approach for ranching and releasing smolts specifically to increase angling
returns.
• Site location distant from rivers with wild populations
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• No harvest outside of river
• Harvest station in lower reaches better access to fish during the season
• Large river or flow to encourage fish to actively enter river
• In-river trap to remove all returning hatchery fish
• Stock with high return capability
• All fish to be tagged and genetically typed
• All stock to be disease free on transfer and release
• All stock to be vaccinated

The State agencies involved with the protection and development of inland fisheries are the
Central and Regional Fisheries Boards (upon enactment of legislation these will be known as
Inland Fisheries Ireland later in 2010).

All hatcheries and aquaculture facilities engaged in the culture or farming of salmonids must
be covered by an Aquaculture licence as a requirement of the Fisheries (Amendment) Act,
1997. All facilities where fish are held, reared or on-grown must hold a Fish Health
Authorisation granted under S.I. 261 of 2008
www.irishstatutebook.ie/2008/en/si/0261.html (also at Appendix 3).

All those proposing to transfer salmonids of any life-stage between freshwater locations for
the purposes of restocking or “ranching” must notify the Fish Health Unit of the Marine
Institute prior to movement.

1.2.3 Transgenics
Transgenic salmonids are not used and have never been used for aquaculture or restocking in
Ireland and there are no plans or policy to do so as this would contravene current scientific
advice and policy.

2. Implementation of the Williamsburg Resolution:

2.1 The Parties shall cooperate in order to minimize adverse effects to the wild salmon
stocks from aquaculture, introductions and transfers and transgenics.

Assessment at Licence Application Stage
In relation to aquaculture licence applications the following are required to submit an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as part of the application process:

• all seawater salmonid breeding installations
• seawater fish breeding installations with an output which would exceed
100 tonnes per annum;
• all fish breeding installations consisting of cage rearing in lakes;
• all fish breeding installations upstream of drinking water intakes;
• other fresh-water fish breeding installations which would exceed 1 million
smolts and with less than 1 cubic metre per second per 1 million smolts
low flow diluting water.

Other aquaculture applications may also be required to submit an EIS if it is considered that it
may have a significant impact on the environment.

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